Contingency
by The Smoose
Summary: Contingency: An event that may occur but that is not likely or intended; a possibility. T for one swear word.


So, this is something I've been meaning to write for a while, and thanks to sod's law, it's decided to make me write it whilst I'm trying to write the second chapter of Razor's Edge. Epic. This is set after Iron Man 2.

**Disclaimer: **Nothing is mine.

* * *

She found them one day while she was cleaning out one of the draws in his desk down in the workshop.

True, cleaning wasn't strictly in her job description, even now that she'd stepped down from CEO to PA again, but seeing as he didn't trust the housekeeper down there, and he'd be more likely to grow a second head than clean it out himself, she was left to do it. She'd done it dozens, maybe even hundreds of times. She knew exactly where everything in the workshop was supposed to be, possibly even better than Tony himself did, especially since he _never_ put anything back where it lived, hence the much needed tidying up.

Though his garage held the highest of high tech...everything, the desk, the _real_ desk, (not the smart-glass monstrosity that was in her opinion just a glorified computer tablet) was possibly her favourite piece of furniture throughout the entire house. It was, according to Tony, built in the early 1800's by his great-great-great-great-grandfather on his mother's side. It was around five feet tall, the same in length, made of a deep dark oak, and complete with golden shell handles on each drawer (the older, iron ones having been replaced by Tony some years ago). There was more than adequate legroom in the middle, and that was surrounded by more drawers, four on each side and one directly underneath where your legs would go. There was about a foot of writing space above, and then more drawers and small shelves pressed into the back.

And he used it to store his tools. Each drawer was filled to the brim with various nuts, washers, socket sets, oil wrenches (assuming he actually put them back after he'd used them), and the shelves crammed with various manuals, though these were pretty much only for decoration.

More than once in her time with Tony she'd considered buying him an _actual_ tool cabinet in order to save the desk from damage, but he'd just dismiss the idea, saying it was over two hundred years old and had lived through thus far with his constant abuse, so there was no need.

So, she was resigned to simply cleaning it as carefully as she could, placing the tools and various parts gently back into their respective drawers and giving it a good polish once it was clear. She then moved on to the drawer above the leg room. This, oddly enough, was were Tony kept all his important personal papers, such as his will. His excuse had been that no one would ever look there, which was true, because any burglar wanting to steal such things would obviously go to the highest security safe they could find, not an old wooden desk with a simple brass key lock on it.

And because of this, she didn't expect when she leant on the edge of the drawer, that the bottom would pop up.

She froze instantly, wide eyed and mouth agape. _'Oh shit, I've broken his mother's desk.'_ She thought._ 'The thing has survived over two hundred years of wear and tear and twenty years of Tony Stark and *I* break it by leaning on the damn thing!'_

She was about to start hyperventilating, when she noticed the drawer bottom hadn't so much popped out as...slid back, as if to reveal a hidden compartment.

Slightly confused now, Pepper moved the now lose panel back a touch and it slid back easily, revealing a large manila envelope beneath. She knew she shouldn't be snooping, but hell, she knew _everything_ else about the man, what was one more innocuous envelope? She pulled the computer chair towards her, sat on it and removed the envelope from its compartment, tipped it upside down and watched as several more smaller envelopes slid out of it. She stared at them and laid the manila one down. There were twelve envelopes, each sealed, each with a different title on the front of it in Tony's chicken scratch handwriting; First Day Of School, Bullies, First Day Of College, Graduations, First Kiss, First Girlfriend/Boyfriend, The Birds And The Bees, First Break Up, Eighteenth Birthday, Marriage, First Baby and The Newest Stark – To Be Read When Pepper Deems Fit. This last one was unsealed, and even though every fibre of Pepper's being screamed at her to put them all back where she found them, one tiny part of her was desperate to know just what the hell these envelopes were for, so she quickly picked up the last one and pulled out the paper inside.

'_So...this is pretty much the best method of conversation I could come up with for beyond the grave. That is to say, unless I miraculously found some sort of IM type programme and we're all currently laughing at this caveman age form of communication. I'll get cracking on that as soon as I finish this._

_To start off, I am so proud of you. And I realise you could be reading this having never known me, but I'll still feel the same way. I could have died before you were born or even just yesterday, but I will always be proud, and I will always love you, no matter what you will/have put me and your Mom through. Hopefully you'll never have to read any of these, but it's always best to be prepared._

_I'm guessing that because you're reading this, your Mom's decided you're old enough to understand exactly what I have to tell you, because I'm about to tell you why I'm not with you anymore, as I'm also guessing it will have been too hard for your Mother._

_Last year (that'd be 2008 by the way, I'm writing this in '09) I was kidnapped by terrorists in Afghanistan. I was injured by a bomb, and they had to put an electromagnet into my chest. I managed to make a miniature Arc Reactor to replace the power source they had me hooked up to. Luckily, I met one of the most amazing people, a man called Yinsen, and he helped me. Together, we created a suit of armour and I managed to escape. He didn't, and I'll never forget him. When I got home, I created a better suit and became Iron Man. Yep, Daddy's a superhero. Coolest Dad ever right?_

_But that's why I'm gone. I've written you these letters in case I don't make it back from a mission, and I want to apologise. It kills me that your Mom gets so upset when I fly off, the same as it kills me to write this thinking I might never know you, but it's something I had to do. When I became Iron Man, I set out to get rid of as many of the weapons I used to make as I could, but someone else in the company, someone I thought was a friend, betrayed me. The same person who had me kidnapped. I needed to get rid of the weapons because the person who betrayed me had sold them to the enemy. It was as if I was killing them myself, that's how I saw it, and I _had _to stop them. _

_But that was last year. _This _year was way interesting. Get your Mom to tell you all about the Stark Expo, that's a fun story. I don't think your Mom thinks so though, to be fair she's still mad at me for not telling her I was dying...which I fixed by the way. Created my own element and everything. You're probably studying it now in school, look it up: Vibranium. I was gonna name it after myself but your Mom slapped me on the head. Turns out it's quite useful, other than keeping me alive I mean. Apparently it'd be really useful used as some kind of shield..._

_Look, I'm gonna go cos your Mom will be here any minute. It's funny really, she's not your Mom as I'm writing this, she's still my PA. Well, we've just started out on this 'relationship' thing, and I gotta say, cos I know she's read this already, and she'll be reading it over your shoulder, your Mom is one of the single most important people in my universe, and you'd better take care of her like I would if I were there. She's the reason I'm able to write this letter. She might tell you that part of the story one day, but for now, just know that even with the miniature reactor, the suit, Vibranium, what is and always will be my greatest creation, is you._

_Crap, Mom's here, gotta go kiddo._

_Love from Dad.'_

"Hey Pepper, what you got th-shit." Tony's voice startled her and she dropped the letter she was holding, turning quickly in the chair to face a nervous looking Tony.

"Tony, I-" she tried to explain herself but he interrupted her.

"Pepper, I'm sorry, I didn't want you to find those like this." He rushed up to her and took the letter she'd been reading. After he scanned the page, he cursed again and closed his eyes, sighing softly.

"Tony, it's ok-"

"No, it's...it's stupid. I don't even know why I wrote them. They don't mean anything Pepper, it's just a 'what if' thing and-"

"Tony!" she stood up and put a hand over his mouth to shut him up. "This is possibly the sweetest, most caring thing you've ever done, and if you tell me it's nothing I may have to stab you with your own torque wrench." Tony's eyes widened slightly but he kept his lip zipped. "I didn't mean to find these letters, but I'm glad I did, ok? And I know you probably didn't want me to read this just yet, but again, so glad I did." She smiled warmly at him and took her hand away from his mouth.

"You-you're not mad? Freaked out, even?" he mumbled. Pepper sighed but kept her smile.

"I'll admit that the thought of children hasn't been a major issue in my life, but I hadn't completely given up on it." She saw his eyes brighten a bit and she stepped forward to give him a peck on the mouth before stepping around him and heading back upstairs.

Tony stood still for a few moments before shaking his head, seemingly coming out of his haze, and following Pepper.

"Wanna go practise?"

The End.


End file.
